A new all-electric vehicle, the FUSO Canter E-Cell, went on show for the first time in the UK yesterday (Wednesday, 2nd November) in London's Alexandra Palace at the Freight in the City Expo.
The zero-emission light truck uses four lithium ion batteries to power an electric motor which produces 110kW (150hp) and a peak torque of 650Nm.
The chassis-mounted battery packs have a capacity of 48kWh and give the vehicle a range of approximately 62 miles (100km).
The E-Cell has undergone a series of customer tests in normal working conditions in both Portugal and Germany.
In 2014-15, eight of these electric vehicles took part in a fleet trial in Lisbon, covering 50,000km between them in 12 months and slashing CO2 emissions by 37% in comparison with diesel-engined vehicles. They also produced operational savings of €1,000 per 10,000km (6,200 miles).
The FUSO Canter E-Cell uses the standardised European Combined Charging System (CCS) Type 2 connecter and offers two charging options: with a fully discharged battery, the fast-charge function recharges at 360V / 100A and provides an 80% charge in just one hour; alternatively, at 230V / 16A it takes seven hours to fully recharge.
Based on the proven 6.0-tonne gvw FUSO Canter chassis, the E-Cell offers a body and payload allowance of 3.0 tonnes. This, coupled with its small footprint, makes the vehicle suitable for urban delivery operations.
As it is virtually silent, it is also useful for use at night or for deliveries in noise-sensitive areas. In populated environments, to alert pedestrians, the truck's VSP (Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians) audible warning system can be activated to produce a buzzing sound.
The electric vehicle will enter production next year as the eCanter with a gross weight of 7.5 tonnes and be built in the FUSO factory at Tramagal, Portugal. It will be sold and supported exclusively throughout Great Britain by the franchised Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicle Dealer Network.
